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February 2009
Index of all
past
Affiliate Corner columns
Options exist for marketing vacant homes
By Abijah Lorez, Caretakers of America
Think about the challenges of marketing that vacant listing – challenges like showing an uninviting empty property; shoveling the walks or making sure the lawn is watered and mowed; worrying about frozen pipes or leaks; checking for flyers and blowing leaves accumulating at the doorstep.
Now, options exist that can help meet these challenges. In the current market, in which vacant properties abound, real estate agents are now using companies that provide “caretakers” to look after these challenging properties. They may even find that offering such an option to their sellers is a “selling point” in their listing presentations.
Companies now exist that enhance the salability of vacant homes by providing carefully-selected adults to live in and care for the vacant home during the period between an owner’s departure and the property’s sale. With a caretaker in residence, the home is cared for inside and out (e.g. snow removal and lawn care), kept in show-ready condition and made available for all showings.
These companies may provide a host of options, including professional staging of the home, with the possibility of using the caretaker’s furnishings or those of the company. This can help create a warm, inviting environment for the real estate agent to show, convincing buyers that this is the home they want to buy.
Using such a company to inhabit a vacant home can help agents prevent costly problems, such as leaky or frozen pipes. A quick response and contact with the homeowner can go a long way toward avoiding issues that could compound quickly were the house left vacant.
Another possible benefit of using such a service is that the homeowner is completely aware of the mutual contractual obligations and benefits prior to making a decision and, because there is no landlord/tenant relationship, homeowners’ insurance can be maintained as “occupied” – a huge advantage versus renting the home or continuing to leave it vacant while on the market. Both the real estate agent and the homeowner have the peace of mind of knowing that the caretaker is contractually obligated to vacate the property prior to closing and to leave the home in the same or better condition than they found it upon move-in.
Vacant properties can present a challenge to agents who may not have time or resources to ensure they stay free from damage and in show-ready condition, but companies that provide “caretaking” services may be the solution to helping keep the home in order to make the sale.
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